As Colorado prepares to go live with new gun-control laws next week, the political landscape that favored Democrats at the start of the year has changed. Suddenly, Republicans — who began the year almost powerless after the 2012 election — feel they have a rallying cry and a cause they can use to fuel victories.

And with those laws now set to take effect Monday, the political effects of these measures are likely to reign as mobilizing issues for months to come, with Republicans announcing their candidacies in an effort to unseat Democrats in both the state Capitol and the governor's office.

"It most certainly energizes the GOP base and helps develop this narrative about the Democrats' control of state government this year," Ken Bickers, a professor of political science at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said about the new gun laws.

Recalls ahead

And already in Colorado, a pair of Democrats won't have to wait until 2014 to address constituents.

Advertisement

Senate President John Morse, of Colorado Springs, and Sen. Angela Giron, of Pueblo, are faced with recalls as petitioners from their districts have had signatures verified by the secretary of state's office to spark elections this fall that could see their ouster from office.

And as a host of Republicans announce their bids to challenge Gov. John Hickenlooper — who signed the gun-control measures into law back in March — the gun debate is already a focal point.

Another Republican strongly considering a gubernatorial run, Sen. Greg Brophy of Wray, who rose to prominence in the legislature as a vocal opponent of the new gun laws, said the start of the session was a pinnacle moment.

"It became obvious to me by the end of January that this governor was different than what he portrayed himself to be on the gun issues. His gun positions were the first shot, so to speak, that sprung this issue onto the political scene in Colorado," Brophy said.

"Prime the pump"

Shortly after last July's Aurora theater shooting, while some politicians used the moment to call for stricter gun laws, Hickenlooper eschewed the notion any laws would have prevented such a tragedy.

Six months later, however, in his State of the State address in January, Hickenlooper urged lawmakers to "prime the pump" on universal gun background checks.

In the weeks that followed, Brophy requested a private meeting with the governor.

"I wanted to express how far off base he was by backing this idea of new gun laws," Brophy said. "I really wanted him to understand that this was a bridge too far, but he didn't heed what I said."

Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, argued Coloradans are not focused solely on guns and dismissed the notion it will be any sort of litmus test for the majority of Colorado voters.

"This is a big issue for a small minority of Coloradans," Pabon said. "And it's being amplified by the media. Polls have shown — and proven — that the majority of this state's residents support the new laws."

Pabon highlighted a Denver Post poll from January — before lawmakers cast votes on the gun measures — that revealed 83 percent of Coloradans at the time supported universal background checks. The poll came just weeks after a gunman walked into a Connecticut elementary school and killed 20 first-graders.

Still, Republican candidates who have entered races for seats in the state Capitol have noted the gun debate will play a role in their campaigns.

"It's the clearest of differences between those who are supporters of the Second Amendment and those who want to do an end run around Second Amendment rights of Coloradans," said Mario Nicolais, a Republican lawyer who announced in May a run for Senate District 22 in Lakewood.

Nicolais is likely to have a GOP primary as he's vying to unseat Democratic Sen. Andy Kerr, who supported placing limits on ammunition magazines of more than 15 rounds and background checks.

"This is a prime example of Democrats and the government infringing on rights," Nicolais said.

For his part, Kerr — like Pabon — pointed to public polls.

"I'm ecstatic to hear one of my GOP opponents is against common-sense gun proposals that I know overwhelmingly the people in my district support," Kerr said.

Bickers said the political polarization on guns is not likely to subside before the November 2014 elections but noted it's also not likely to have a substantial effect on every voter demographic — such as suburban women, a coveted bloc of voters that helps swing elections in Colorado.

"There's that question of what other big issue, that's not in the headlines now, will engulf us and help drive the state's political landscape," Bickers said.